Prevalence of dementia in Latin America: a collaborative study of population-based cohorts

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

A GEOGRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION IN Coats of arms of LATIN AMERICA

This article seeks to reflect on geographic representation in the coats of arms of countries in Latin America, showing how the physical, aspects of the landscape, the elements of the economy and the republican symbols were used by local elites to compose an imaginary nation in the nineteenth century. This process of "naturalization of territory" was used as an important feature in the national discourse, because this time, in most cases, the Latin American nations were composed of multi-ethnic states, with strong differences of class and a large illiterate population plus a very tenuous territory from the point of view of national integration. Thus, the elements related to geographic image through the use of coats of arms, conveyed strong messages to citizens, showing how these heraldic symbols can become an important source of research to unravel the process of building the imaginary nation.

Abnormal hemoglobin phenotypes in carriers of mild anemia in Latin America.

We looked for abnormal hemoglobins in blood samples sent for diagnosis of anemia. Identification of the hemoglobins was made using electrophoretic, chromatographic and molecular procedures. The 2020 blood samples were of patients from various regions of Brazil and from some other Latin American countries. Among the abnormal hemoglobins that we found, 3.5% are known to be rare, while 51% had an electrophoretic profile similar to that of Hb S at alkaline pH. Differentiation was possible only by combining electrophoretic and chromatographic methods. Hb Hasharon, an alpha globin chain mutant, was the most frequently found variant hemoglobin; it accounted for 14.3% of the abnormal DNA samples. The other abnormal hemoglobin phenotypes displayed distinct electrophoretic profiles; most of them migrated faster than Hb A. The frequencies of the different abnormal hemoglobin profiles that we found reflect the miscegenation of the Latin American population and indicate the importance of hemoglobin studies using various methods in combination for accurate diagnosis and appropriate counseling of carriers and their families.

Strategies to promote farm animal welfare in Latin America and their effects on carcass and meat quality traits

Several initiatives, including research and development, increasing stakeholders' awareness and application of legislation and recommendation, have been carried out in Latin America to promote animal welfare and meat quality. Most activities focused on the impact of pre-slaughter conditions (facilities, equipment and handling procedures) on animal welfare and meat quality. The results are encouraging; data from Brazil, Chile and Uruguay showed that the application of the improved pre-slaughter handling practices reduced aggressive handling and the incidence of bruised carcasses at slaughter in cattle and pigs. These outcomes stimulated some to apply animal welfare concepts in livestock handling within the meat production chain as shown by the increasing demand for personnel training on the best. To attend this demand is important to expand local studies on farm animal welfare and to set up (or maintain) an efficient system for knowledge transfer to all stakeholders in the Latin America meat production chains. However, it is clear that to promote the long-term progress in this field is important to deliver practical solutions, assuring that they match the technical and financial conditions of those who are the target of training programs. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Peritonitis in Latin America

Peritoneal dialysis has a high acceptance rate in Latin America, thus the knowledge concerning complication patterns is of great relevance. This work reviews Latin American data on peritonitis, the most serious complication of peritoneal dialysis.The incidence of peritonitis has been reduced over time, concomitantly with the incorporation of safer exchange systems and the use of prophylactic measurements. Today, rates tower than 1 episode per 24 patient-months are commonly reported. Furthermore, changes in causative organisms have been observed, with predominance of Staphylococcus aureus up through the mid-1990s, as welt as increases in coagulase-negative staphylococcus and participation of gram negatives. However, the prevalence of S. aureus is still high, due possibly to climatic conditions and the elevated prevalence of carriers. Resolution rate varies from 55% to 78%, transfer to hemodialysis from 10.9% to 15.4%, and death in 3% to 9.9% of cases. Outcome is worse in S. aureus episodes compared to those with coagulase-negative staphylococcus, despite the higher percentage of oxacillin-resistant strains among the former. In general, despite socioeconomic or climatic conditions, our results are similar to those in developed countries, perhaps as a consequence of technological improvements and/or center expertise.

Rabies transmitted by vampire bats to humans: An emerging zoonotic disease in Latin America?

Human rabies transmitted by vampire bats reached new heights in Latin America in 2005. A total of 55 human cases were reported in several outbreaks, 41 of them in the Amazon region of Brazil. Peru and Brazil had the highest number of reported cases from 1975 to 2006. In Peru, outbreaks involving more than 20 cases of bat-transmitted human rabies were reported during the 1980s and 1990s. During this period, a smaller number of cases were reported from outbreaks in Brazil. A comparison of data from field studies conducted in Brazil in 2005 with those from the previous decade suggests similar bat-bite situations at the local level. The objective of this study was to review the epidemiological situation and, on the basis of this information, discuss possible factors associated with the outbreaks. Prevention and control measures already recommended for dealing with this problem are also reviewed, and some further suggestions are provided.